We Always Find a Way For Family
by ElineS
Summary: Jack is fading from this world, but the Winchesters and Cas won't let him go that easily. They will do anything to keep Jack alive. It's time to find Nick/Lucifer to see if he has some of Jacks grace left to heal him, or at least, to buy Jack some more time. Nick isn't keen to help so he needs some persuasion. Post 14x07. Jack whump. Torture
1. Chapter 1

It had been an hour since Rowena had told them that the only thing they could do was watch over him, to stay by his side and watch him die. But that was not the Winchester way, nor was it how Cas wanted to handle things. They couldn't sit around his bed, doing nothing, while Jack faded from the world. There was no way that they would let it play out like that.

"How many times have we been dead or close to death. Yet here we are. Still alive and kicking. Jack is one of us now. With him it won't be any different," Dean said. "We always find a way. Always." They sat on chairs around a small table they had dragged into the room. None of them wanted to let Jack out of their sight. Rowena, though there was nothing she could do to help, had stayed, and had made the boys some coffee. Cas had his elbows on the table, face in his hands, defeated. He wanted to believe what Dean said, but looking at Jack's condition, there wasn't much time to find another way. Sam, always the one with a positive outlook on things, patted Cas on his shoulder.

"Dean's right. Jack will be fine."

"How?" Cas asked. "What are our options?"

"So, archangel grace that wasn't his didn't help. Seems to me he needs his own grace," Sam said.

"It's time to find Nick," Dean added. "He's human, but he might have some mojo left in him to give Jack some more time."

"I can do a locator spell," Rowena said. "We'll find Nick and with his leftover grace we will have this wee lad up and about soon enough. I'm sure of it. Just give me a few minutes to get everything sorted." She stood up and left the boys to their own devices to get everything ready for the spell.

"Nick might not want to come back with us," Sam said.

"He won't have a choice," Dean interjected.

"Dean, he's human now, so let's just be a bit careful with him and not spook him. Who knows, maybe he does want to help."

"Human or not, he still has Lucifer's face and it still makes me uneasy. I hadn't mind if I never had to see him again," Cas said, finally with his head out of his hands and looking a bit more hopeful. "But I would do anything to help Jack. He's… Well.. He's Jack. I can't lose him."

"Neither can we Cas, neither can we. And we won't." In that moment Jack coughed and his his head moved to the side, his brow furrowing. Dean stood up and walked over to him. He sat on the side of his bed and stroked a hand through Jacks blond hair. "We won't." Jack stirred and his eyes fluttered open for a second.

"Dean?" Jack mumbled softly. It was hardly noticeable, but they all heard it.

"Yeah kid, I'm here. We're all here. We'll get you better kiddo. Wait and see."

"It hurts Dean."

"What does?" Dean asked concerned. Jack frowned, as if he was thinking or trying to do something but couldn't get it done.

"I don't k- I…" He seemed out of breath and had difficulty talking. He gulped in air and his body shivered. "Everything." He managed to open his eyes a little and looked directly at Dean. "I'm on fire," he said and closed his eyes again, too tired to keep them open. Cas and Sam had walked up to the bed as well and Cas put a hand to Jack's forehead. It was hot and clammy.

"He has a fever. He's never had one before, so it must feel strange to him."

Sam crouched down and took Jack's hand. "It's ok Jack, it's a fever. I've had them many times. You feel hot and cold and weak, but you will be fine, I promise. Try to sleep ok." Sam wanted to stand up and take his hand away, but Jack had suddenly grabbed it with more strength then he looked capable of at the moment.

"Don't want…" a deep shuddering breath "to sleep."

"You need to rest Jack," Cas said.

"No, please. I…"

"We'll be here when you wake up," Dean tried to comfort him.

"But, if I dn't wake up.." Jack slurred. "I wnt to.. want to.. stay." Dean looked at Sam and Sam at him, pure heartbreak had fallen over their faces. They were at a loss as to what they could say. Luckily Cas stepped in. He took Jacks face between both his hands and pressed his forehead against his.

"He, Jack, don't worry. You're staying ok. You're staying with us. We're your family. You're… You're my son, ok. You're my kid and hell will freeze over before I'll let you go anywhere." He pressed a kiss on Jacks furrowed brow and eased it away.

"Dad?" he muttered.

"Yeah?"

"Thnk u." That was the last thing Jack could say before he went under and slept. Cas stood up and though his eyes were watering, he held back his tears.

"I'll go check on Rowena, see how far she is." Dean and Sam nodded and watched him swoop out of the room, before they put their eyes back on Jack, who seemed to at least be in a peaceful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

It took Rowena no more than an hour to find Nick, but it would take the boys a three hour drive. Everyone was reluctant to leave Jack so it was difficult to decide who would go and who would stay. While they argued about it, Rowena sat by Jack's bed. She patted him on the arm. She didn't know the kid, but she had taken a liking to him and felt she needed to do whatever she could.

"You're a lucky lad, having the Winchesters looking out for ya. They're rough around the edges, but they care a great big deal about you Jack. I know they're not your real family, but they are as real as they come. Take it from someone who had a real son, but never cared as much for him as these three do for you." She wondered if he could hear her. If he was only sound asleep or already in a further state, a coma he wouldn't wake up from. She decided to rattle on, just in case, so that if he could hear, he wouldn't hear the boys frantic discussion in the background. "Aye, Fergus was my son, and I would do anything to have him brought back to me, but I was never a good mother. Not in the way these boys are fathers to you. You might not be bound by blood lad, but you are bound by something so much more. Instead of being born family, you are family that is chosen and that is far greater, I'll tell ya."

"Rowena?" she heard Sam call for her. She took one more look at Jack before she stood up and walked over to the three man. "I'm going to find Nick, but I'll need back-up. Will you come with me and help?" He looked at her, a bit unsure. "I could use a witch with great powers if Nick makes any trouble."

"Och, there's no need for flattery Samual, I'll come. It's been a while since I've been on the road causing trouble. Needed to keep my head low, so you wouldn't come calling for me to behave." She smiled a bit coy. "I'll go get my things."

"All right, we'll stay with Jack, but if there's any trouble, call us," Dean said to Sam after Rowena had walked away.

"Likewise. If he gets worse, I… I might not be back in time."

"He won't be alone Sam."

"I know Cas, but still."

"Go get Nick and we'll save Jack."

All three of them looked at Jack. So fragile and small in his bed. Right now he wasn't a powerful nephilim, but just a kid, a child really. He might look like a teenager, but he was a year and a half old toddler who had seen nothing of the world yet. He hadn't lived. If he survived this, Dean would take him to Vegas or Tahiti or where ever he wanted to go. Drink, get that tan, get his first parking ticket, experience his first love, hell, his first time having sex. There were so many firsts Jack still needed to have.

Dean and Cas left Sam alone for a minute. They didn't want to think about it, or admit it, but there was a chance Sam wouldn't see Jack again - not alive at least, so he needed to say goodbye in case everything did go south. He pulled a chair up next to his bed. He was silent for a while but then he started to speak.

"Jack, I don't want to wake you, at least asleep you won't feel that you're ill, but I wish I could wake you so you would hear how much I care about you." Sam snickered a little. "Well, I might as well say it. Not just care, but how much I love you. I never expected to love Lucifer's son. Not after what he had done to me. But we are not our fathers. I'm glad I could see that. I'm glad Dean sees that now too, though it took a while. He's sorry you know, for how he treated you at the start." He knew Dean would never say this, so he felt he should. Jack needed to know how sorry Dean was. "It was fear of what you might become and might do. It's not an excuse, but… Your father has done some horrible things to me. Being possessed by him, being in the cage with him, it was… Yeah. Well. You know. Dean wanted to protect me from someone who could grow up to be worse than Lucifer, who could hurt me like that again. He didn't hate you Jack. He was protective of me. Because that's what we brothers do. But now, you're our brother too Jack, or son, I'm not even sure anymore after Cas said that about losing a son, but you're with us, so Dean will do anything for you too. It might not always be what is right, but it's what we do." With that Sam and Rowena made their leave. They took Baby with them, since it was the fastest car they had. Cas and Dean were left to watch over Jack and watch over they did.

Cas kept looking at the slow rise and fall of his chest. It was even and calm, which was a great improvement over how he was breathing when he was awake. There was a sheen of sweat on his forehead, which Dean dabbed away with a damp cloth. "I think his fever is getting worse, can you check?" he asked Cas. The angel nodded and put a hand over Jack's forehead. He closed his eyes to concentrate and his hand started to glow. His grace was reaching into the debts of Jacks body. Cas couldn't heal him, or understand what was happening, but he could feel his heartbeat, his breathing, his fever and the turmoil that was going on in his head. Jack looked like he was quietly sleeping, but his mind seemed to be racing. Cas wondered what he was dreaming about.

"Indeed, his fever is rising. We might need to cool him down a bit more," Cas said when he took his hand away.

Dean went to get a bucket of ice-water and Cas removed Jacks blanket. When Dean came back they lifted Jack up a little, very slowly, to take of his shirt. They gently put him back down and started to cool him with wet cold cloth. Whenever Cas would put a cold cloth on Jack he could almost envision the heat searing away in a puff of smoke. They did this for a while but stopped when Jack started to tremble and move away from the cold cloth whenever they would touch him with it. They put a thinner blanket over him, not wanting to heat him up again, but also not wanting him to be to cold.

The two men were exhausted. Castiel didn't need much sleep, but he needed some. But they kept keeping watch. After a while Dean brought up a valid point.

"If he doesn't wake up, how do we get fluids into him. He needs to drink, especially with this fever. It's dehydrating him."

"Maybe try to wake him, to get him to drink," Cas suggested. Dean looked reluctant. "It's that or stealing IV fluids from the nearest hospital."

"Neither sounds great…I don't want to see him suffer. When he's sleeping, he's oblivious to it all."

"I wonder if he is. When I checked his temperature I noticed his mind was frantic, as if he was having a bad dream."

Cas was right, Jack was indeed dreaming, and it wasn't a good dream either. He was running, barefoot, in a forest. Hell hounds were chasing him. They were growling and barking. Jack, as fragile as a human, cut his feet open on the sticks and stones of the forest floor, leaving a trail of blood that the hounds sniffed, licked and followed. There was no escaping.

"Cas! Dean? Sam!" Jack yelled while running. "Please help! Don't let them take me!" He stumbled and fell. He felt the breath of a hellhound in his neck. It was warm and moist. He scrambled to his feet and started running again. The hounds were taunting him, they could have gotten him there and then, but they seemed to enjoy the chase. "Dad?!" Jack pleaded. "Dad?" Where were they? Why weren't they here? Where was his father?

"I'm right here kid." Red eyes glowed in the dark oblivion in front of him. Jack came to a screeching halt and almost fell backwards. Lucifer stepped out of the darkness, his arms wide, as if he wanted to embrace his son. "Daddy's right here Jack. Time to come home." Jack wanted to turn around and run away, but he heard branches break behind him and low soft snarls. The hounds were there, blocking his path. Lucifer took another step forwards. "Just give up Jack. Come with me. We can rule hell together. A father-son powerduo. Oh, how magnificent that will be."

"NO!" Jack yelled. "You are not my father, you're not. Cas is." Lucifers demeanor suddenly changed. He looked a bit surprised.

"Cas, you say? Well well well. Dear old Cas. Oh, he's been where you are going. He escaped it. No one ever has. But you won't escape it. I'll make sure of it. Come on Jack, the empty is great. No more pain, no more feelings and all those pesky things. Everything stops. Just stops. So simple, so easy. All you have to do is come with me kid… Wait, I'll make it easier." Lucifer's started to fall away and underneath it Cas his face appeared. It had it's face, but it wasn't him. For one, this Cas had a sickening grin. He seemed to like Jacks distress. "Now, come with your daddy kid. It's time." Jack shook his head. No, Jack thought. "Jack, don't make me come get you." The fake Cas took a step forward. NO, he thought again. The hell hounds were still behind him, but he remembered that when he fell to the ground, they hadn't hurt him. They might not be able to, if they were no more than a figment of his imagination, a trick to scare him into running into this man arms. "Jack, one last time, come with me…" Jack took a step back. "NOW!" the fake Cas yelled.

"NO!" Jack yelled back. He turned around and ran straight through the dogs who indeed didn't hurt him, but only growled and barked when he ran past.

"JACK!" the fake Cas screeched, but Jack, wide eyed and in panic, kept running and running, till he wasn't running in a forest anymore, but somewhere else, held down by strong arms, with the fake Cas still calling out his name. "Jack," it said. "Jack, please!" Something was around his body, like a rope or a net, restraining him. "Jack! We're here. You're save." No, he thought, it was a trick again. He couldn't trust Cas his voice. He needed to get away. To get away from the arms around him and his restraints pinning him down. He struggled, but the arms were so strong and he was so weak and out of breath.

"Jack, come on kid, don't do this." That wasn't his father's voice. He stopped struggling for a second. Everything was dark, but he then remembered he had his eyes closed. He slowly opened them. He was in a room, looking at a ceiling. It was spinning, but he recognized it. He was in the bunker. "There's a good kid. It's ok now, we've got you." The arms around him loosened and instead of feeling restricted they felt save and comforting. He noticed he was on a bed. He could feel the pillows and the blanket - ah, the blanket! It had twisted around his legs because he had struggled so much. It felt like ropes holding him down. Cas was untangling him from it.

"D'an? Cass?"

"Yeah kid. You awake then huh. You gave us a bit of a scare." Jack could hear that Dean was having a hard time making his voice sound even and light.

Jack had started to move and talk in his sleep. At some point his moves had become frantic. Cas and Dean tried to wake him up, but he wouldn't wake. He became a danger of falling out of bed so Dean and Cas pinned him down, but he wouldn't stop moving and whimpering. His breath became uneven and his heartbeat started to fly through the roof, even skipping beats. His breath had hitched and had stopped twice for a few seconds. Finally Dean had grabbed him, put his hands around him and pressed him into his chest, thinking this was it.

Jack was still pressed against his chest and Jack could feel Dean was shaking. He couldn't see and so he didn't notice it, but Dean had tears streaming down his face. Cas, who stood next to the bed, the blanket he just detangled in his hand, was wiping his tears away. They looked at each other, embarrassed but also realizing this could have been it and that their tears were nothing to be ashamed off. A look shared between them was enough to convey that to each other.

"Jack?" Cas asked. "How are you feeling?" It took a while before Jack answered and when he did, it took him a lot of energy. Energy he didn't really have.

"I'm fine." He wasn't. He was warm and cold, dizzy, nauseous, thirsty and his whole body ached, but he couldn't find the energy to tell them that.

"No, you're not," Dean said.

"I s'pose not," Jack agreed, listening to Deans chest vibrating when he spoke. It was calming.

"You need to drink some water Jack," Cas said. He was right. Jack was thirsty, but when he felt Dean move away from him he started to panic. Dean noticed.

"Jack, it's ok, I'm just propping you up so you can drink some water." Jack tried to shake his head. "You need to drink something." Jack shook his head again.

"Later," he managed to say. "Just…" He sighed. "Hold me." Dean looked at Cas, who nodded. Dean moved himself in a better position on the bed and held Jack tight against him. Jack his head was resting on his chest, Dean's chin touching his blond hair. Cas put the glass of water he had gotten for Jack away and started to walk out of the room to give Dean and Jack some privacy, but he halted when Jack spoke and called out for him in a way that meant the world to Cas.

"Dad? Dn't go." Cas walked back and took Jack's hand.

"I'm not going anywhere Jack."

And so they sat there. Three men on a tiny one person bed, holding each other, afraid to let go.

Meanwhile, Sam and Rowena arrived at the place where the locator spell had said Nick would be…


End file.
